Flash light



FREDERICK L. I-IUMESTON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE FLASH LIGHT 7 Application filed October 15, 1928. Serial No. 312,448.

This invention relates to battery hand lampsand more particularly to a hand lamp of the focusing type.

Various types of hand lamps have been devised in which the reflector and lamp bulb are adjustable with respect to each other to permit the focus of the light beam to be varied. As a rule the reflector in a lamp of this type is carried by an end cap which is threaded on one end. of the casing and the bulb is likewise mounted in a bulb holder that may be adjusted axially of the casing. In such devices as heretofore manufactured, the base terminal of the lamp bulb is retained in electrical contact with the carbon pole of the battery at all times and in order to permit the circuit to be opened, the lamp holder or socket must be insulated from the casing. A circuit is completed from the zinc can of the battery or cell through the casing and a switch is provided which controls the connection between the casing and the insulated bulb holder.

In the present invention I materially simplify the construction of a focusing flashlight by providing one in which the circuit is broken between the base terminal of the bulb and the carbon'pol'e of the battery. This eliminates the necessity of insulating the bulb holder'or socket from the lamp casing as the threads or outer terminal of the bulb are adapted to be in electrical contact with the zinc can ofthe battery at all times. In carrying out this construction, I employ substantially the same switch construction as heretofore employed except that the pivoted switch member is formed of insulating material and is adapted to bridge the space between a pair of arms which are connected to the base terminal of the lamp and the carbon pole of the battery respectively.

The bulb holder forming a part of my invention may be retained in the casing in any suitable manner and carries a pair of spaced arms one of wh1ch is adapted to contact with the carbon pole of the battery and the other of which is connected to the base terminal of the lamp bulb andis insulated from the remainder or the bulb holder.

The bulb holder is also provided with means for retaining a bulb in the socket and preventing accidental displacement thereof. This retaining means preferably consists 01" a spring plate carried by the bulb holder and engaged by a flange on the lamp socket and so arranged that screwing of the bulb into the socket causes the spring plate to exert apressure on the flanges of the bulb holder and effectually retain the bulb therein.

In the accompanying drawings I have illust-rated one form of the invention. In the drawings, 7

Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view through the upper end of the lamp casing illustrating the improved features of my construction;

Fig. 2 is a similar view at right angles thereto;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal, sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: is a similar view on line H of Fig.

meral l designates the lamp casing which may be of the usual construction, preferably cylindrical in shape and formed of metal or other suitable material. The lower end of the casing (not shown) is provided with the usual removable end cap (not shown) to permit a battery to be inserted in the casing in the usual manner and the end cap may be provided with the usual spring (not shown) to retain the battery in a forward position in the casing to complete the circuit from the carbon pole and also to connect the 0pposite terminal of the battery to the casing.

Adjacent the upper end of the casing I provide an internal groove 2 adapted to form a seat for the bulb holder. Beyond this groove t 1e casing is threaded as indicated at 3 and is adapted to receive a head 4 having a threaded portion 5. Beyond the end of the casing thehead is enlarged and is provided with threads 6 for the reception of an end cap 7. This end cap is provided with an internal annular flange 8 on its outer end and this flange forms a seat for a lens 9. Inward- Elil ly of the lens I provide a reflector 10. The outer end of the head is also provided with an internal flange 11 so that when the end cap is inserted on the head the reflector and lens are clamped between the flanges 8 and 11, re ectivel he bul holder preferably comprises a spider 12 having a plurality of arms 13. The s ider is sli htly larger than the internal meter of t e casing and is adapted to fit in the internal groove 2. It may be inserted by arranging it at an angle to pass it through the upper end of the casing until the ends of the arms are received in the groove. Any suitable means may be provided for retaining the bulb holder in position. In the drawings Ihave illustrated a spring member 14 in the form of a split ring and as shown this retaining member is adapted to be arranged over the arms of the spider in the groove after the bulb holder has been placed in position. The ends 15 of the retaining member are preferably offset to permit the removal of the ring and bulb holder. A lamp socket 16 is arranged on the top of the spider 12 and is adapted to receive a lamp bulb 17 which is screwed in the socket in the usual manner. The outer terminal of the bulb is connected through the screw threads of the lamp socket to the plate 12 and arms 13 and as the arms 13 are not insulated from the casing, as is the usual practice in focusing flashlight-s, the outer lamp terminal is in engagement with the positive terminal of the battery, through the casing, at all times. The lamp socket is arranged over an opening 18 in the spider and is secured thereto in such manner that when the bulb is screwed into the socket, it is placed under tension and rigidly held in the socket to prevent displacement. This is accomplished by means of a spring plate 19 (seeFig. 4) which is mounted on top of the spiderand is secured to two of the arms 13 adjacent their outer ends by means of rivets 20. The bottom of the lamp socket is provided with a flange 21 which is arranged between the s ider and the spring retaining plate 19. he retaining plate is provided with acentral openin 22 which permits it to-be placed over the lamp socket and diametrically opposite slots 23 communicate with this opening. The flange 21 on the bottom of the lamp socket. is provided with diametrically opposite arms 24 which extend radially in alignment with the slots 23 and are provided with upturned ends 25 forming lugs or guide members which extend through the slots.

A plate of insulating material 26 is arranged on the bottom of the spider and secured thereto in any suitable manner as by rivets 27. A rivet 28 extends through the insulating member in alignment with the centrad opening 18 of the spider and when the lamp bulb is screwed down into the casing,

it engages this rivet. Further movement of the lamp bulb causes the socket to move upwardly and the engagement of: the flange 21 of the socket with the under side of the spring plate 19 moves the central portion of this plate upwardly or bows it. This rigidly locks the lamp bulb in the socket, due to the pressure of the spring plate on the lamp socket and prevents accidental displacement of the bulb.

The central rivet 28 which is electrically connected to the base terminal. of the lamp also forms a support for an arm or conduct ing member 29 which extends toward the wall of the casing and is preferably offset toward its outer end as at30 to prevent contact with the rivet 27 which would cause short circuiting. The outer end of this arm may be extended downwardly as at 31 and slightly spaced. from the end 32 of arm 33. The arm 33 is carried by :1 cont acting member 34 which is substantiaily U-shaped in cross section as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and is pro vided with lateral extensions 35 at each end adapted to be secured to the insulating member 26 by rivets 36. The base of the U-shaped portion of the contact member engages the carbon pole 37 of the battery as clearly shown in 1 and 2 of the drawings. To close the circuit and light the bulb it is, therefore, merely necessary to bridge the gap between the ends 31 and 32 of the arms 29 and 33 respectively.

For the purpose of controlling the circuit I employ a switch that is generally similar to the switch construction used in flashlights except that the switch itself does not form a part of the circuit but merely carriesia contact member to bridge the gap 3132. As shown the casing is provided with an opening 38 arranged a slight distance beneath the groove 2 and the side wall of the casing is provided with a raised shield 39. Beneath this shield a resilient arm -10 is connected to the casing by a rivet 41 and this arm carries a button 42 which extends through an opening. in the shield and permits the arm to be moved inwardly by depressing the button. The resilientarm carries a member 43 of insulating material which is secured thereto in any suitable manner and the outer end of this insulating member is provided with a contact member 44 which is adapted to bridge the terminals 31 and to close the circuit when the button is depressed. The circuit may be retained closed by a slidable member 45 which is mounted on the shield and provided with lugs or tabs 46 adapted to pass through slots in the shield to permit reciprocation of this member. The slidable member is further provided with an opening so that when the button 42 is depressed it may be slid over the button, in the usual manner, to retain the button depressed and the circuit closed.

To properly align the terminals 31 and 32 with the contact member 14-, the casing is provided with an indentation 47 opposite the switch and the arm 13 of the bulb holder on the opposite side from the contacts 31 and 32 is provided with a recess 48 which is adapted to receive the projection on the inside of the casing formed by the indentation 47.

The operation of the'lamp will be apparnt from the foregoingdescription. The reiector 10 is provided with an opening slighty larger in diameter than the diameter of he bulb so that the reflector and head construction can be placed in position after the bulb and bulb holder are arranged in the end of the casing. By adjusting the reflector by means of the threads 3 and 5, the beam of light may be focused as desired. The bulb is retained in the socket by the spring member 19 and the circuit is completed as heretofore described, the outer terminal of the lamp being always in electrical engagement with the casing through the bulb holder and through the casing with the positive terminal of the battery. When the switch member is depressed the contact member 44 bridges terminals 31 and 32 and connects the carbon pole to the base terminal of the bulb through the contact member 34-, arm 33, arm 31 and rivet 28.

I claim:

1. A battery hand lamp comprising a cas ing, a battery therein, a reflector mounted on the end of the casing, a spider mounted in the casing adjacent said reflector, a lamp socket carried by said spider, said spider and said lamp socket being in electrical engagement with the casing at all times, said lamp socket being normally disconnected from the central electrode of the battery, contacts supported by said spider and insulated therefrom, one of said contacts being adapted to be electrically connected to a terminal of a bulb in said lamp socket and the other of said contactsbeing adapted to be connected to the central electrode of said battery, and a switch pivotally mounted on the wall of said casing and adapted to connect said spacedcontacts.

2. A focusing flashlight comprising a casing, a battery therein, a reflector mounted on the casing and capable of axial adjustment, a spider mounted in the casing adjacent said reflector, a lamp socket carried by said spider, said spider and said lamp socket being in electrical engagement with the casing at all times, said lamp socket being normally disconnected from the central electrode of the battery, a pair of spaced contacts carried by said spider and insulated therefrom, one of said contacts being adapted to be electrically connected to a terminal of a bulb in said lamp socket and the other of said contacts being adapted to be electrically connected to the central electrode of said battery, and a switch a pair of spaced mounted'on the wall of said casing and adapted to connect said spaced contacts. 7. i

3. A bulb holder for battery hand lamps comprising a supporting member of con ducting material adapted to engage the walls of a hand lamp casing when the bulb holder is in use, a lamp socket carried by said supporting member, said supportingimember being provided with an opening in alignment with said lamp socket, an insulating member carried by said supporting member, an arm mounted on said insulating member, and adapted to form an electrical connectionwith one terminal of a bulb arranged in said lamp socket, and means for completing a circuit from said arm to the central electrode of a battery when said bulb holder is in posit-ion withina lamp casing. i

4. A bulb holder for battery hand lamps comprising a supporting member of conduct ing material adapted to engage the walls of a hand lamp casing when the bulb holder is in use, a lamp socket carried by said supporting member, said supporting member be ing provided with an opening in alignment with said lamp socket, an insulating member carried by said supporting member, an arm mounted on said insulating member and adapted to form an electrical connection with one terminal of a bulb arranged in said lamp socket, and means for completing a circuit from said arm to the central electrode of a battery when said bulb holder is in position within a lamp casing, said means comprising a connecting member carried by said insulating member and adapted to engage said central electrode.

5. A bulb holder for battery hand lamps comprising a supporting member of conducting material adapted to engage the walls of a hand lamp casing when the bulb holder is in use, a lamp socket car 'ied by said supporting member, said supporting member being provided with an opening in alignment with said lamp socket, an insulating member carried by said supporting member, arm mounted on said insulating member and adapted to form an electrical connection with one terminal of a bulb arranged in said lamp socket, and means for completing a circuit from said arm to the central. electrode of a battery when said bulb holder is in position within a lamp casing, said means comprising a connecting member carried by said insulating member and adapted to engage said central electrode and a second arm car ried by said connecting member and arranged adjacent said first mentioned arm.

6. A bulb holder comprising a support ing plate, a lamp socket arranged on said plate, the lower edge of said lamp socket be ing provided with a flange, and a spring plate having a central opening for the reception of said lamp socket, the ends of said spring plate being secured to said support ing plate and the flange of said socket being arranged between said supporting plate and said s ring plate whereby the central portion 0 said sprin plate will be moved up 5 wardly when a bufi) is screwed in said socket to place said spring plate under tension and exert a ressure on said socket.

7 A 6111b holder comprising a supporting plate a lamp socket arranged on said plate, w a rigid abutment carried by said supporting plateand adapted to be engaged by the center contact of a lamp bulb, and a spring plate arranged on said supporting plate and enging said lamp socket whereby said spring 1 plate will be placed under tension to exert pressure on said lamp socket when a bulb is screwed into said socket.

8. A bulb holder comprising a supporting plate, a lamp socket arranged on said plate, a a rigid abutment carried by said supporting plate and adapted to be engaged by the center contact of a lamp bulb, a spring plate having its ends secured to said supporting plate and having its central portion engaging said a lamp socket whereby said spring plate will be placed under tension to exert pressure on said lamp socket when a bulb is screwed into said socket.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. FREDERICK L. HUMEST ON. 

